Last night I watched a dvd on Netflix called “The God Who Wasn’t There”. It was an interesting documentary in that it had a strong point of view. If you are secure in your faith, this bad boy is not a problem watching. But if you don’t know the history of the Christian movement, or know the bible very well, this WILL make you struggle with your faith. BUT, like all attacks on the bible, his summations are built on speculation, and not fact. His knowledge on Christian history is based on a lack of study. He doesn’t know the history of the church and he doesn’t know the Pauline letters. He definitely doesn’t read early Christian literature. So I wanted to let you all know that if you have any questions concerning this Movie, let me know and I will find some answers for you.
On another topic, people don’t sympathize with poverty. Even the poor want to keep it unto themselves. However, there are those who are not doing well who still want to help the poor. I think that these people are the wealthiest of all people. To have nothing and still want to give to others is the most noble of them all; and truthfully I envy them. I know that at one point in my life I was a far more generous person. I know that when I had the safety of a strong fellowship, I knew that no matter what, I had people. Now, and our plague of not being able to find a fellowship that clings to the truth, but to tradition, has been abundant. We have found so many churches with half-truths and partial truths with little to make them stand out. There is a fellowship of believers that some in-laws attend that I find very appealing. They are evangelistic and spirit minded. But yet, the focus of their worship is a system that we have been instructed to ignore (for a lack of a better word). They focus on the shadow, and not the thing itself. We were attending a church of Christ here locally, but they were so clingy to calvanistic tratdition, and the prioritization of institution over charity, I just couldn’t look past it when Jesus is clear as to what real worship is, so was his brother James. Paul made it obvious that we should be meeting in each other’s homes for a reason. The home environment is the healthiest environment of that time. The home was where live was lived and where family came first. Of course that is more idealistic than true. I too have read the history of that time. However, there is a reason we do it. Plus, now where in any of the books of the bible does it say that Christians should always meet on Wednesday and Sunday at such and such a time, have a preditirmined song, prayer, and preaching service. That is Calvinistic at best. That form of service was made up in the reformation, and has nothing to do with what Christianity is doing. Actually, it was made up of some Catholics first, then modified by the reformist. But it all has little to do with keeping ones self from being corrupt from the world, which IS worship to God. Our service to the world is our worship of God. When we are helping poor people, we are worshiping God. When we are abstaining from the transgressions of greed, envy, witchcraft (horoscope), murder, lust, impurity, profanity, and idolatry then we are worshiping God. When we deny ourselves of our own carnality then we worship God. When we put Gods people in a higher prioritization than the world, we worship God. When we confess our sins, we worship God. When we take on the responsibility of the sins of others, we worship God. When we teach, correct, rebuke and reproof each other in the word of God, we worship God. But having a Sunday morning worship service? Having a prayer meeting? Taking communion every week? Relying on the sinner’s prayer (which is another topic to have need of discussion)? The quick fix and move on service? The altar call? Speaking in tongues? What is all that? Where does it come from? Even if ecstatic utterances were really speaking in tongues, NOBODY and I mean NOBODY does it right, or miraculously. There is no miracle in “Yabba dabba dooba” and “Shena humma manumma numma” is simple a cognitive regression. It is babbling. Did you know that there is a history of ecstatic utterances in the occult? Didn’t know that did you? There is NO language involved and there is no miracle involved. You want to really speak in tongues? Do it the way the bible says it should happen. Speak an earthbound foreign language as Paul teaches in the Corinthian books. Do so and then have only one person do it at a time, and not do it if there isn’t somebody who can interpret, and then IF there is an interpreter, then only three people total should do it in one assembly! Come on! I mean come on! Let’s stick to the bible.
That’s my rant for this time. Next time we will talk about creating images that are NOT involved in idolatry.
